Headphones and earphones, whether or not combined with a microphone, and capable of connecting only through wired medium

Wired headphones and earphones, with or without microphone

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · CRS SCHEME · IS 62368 · WPC OVERLAY

HSN 8518 30 20 (wired headphones and earphones) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order. Conformity to IS/IEC 62368 Part 1:2023 is mandatory under the Compulsory Registration Scheme with effect from 23 November 2021, by virtue of the Electronics and Information Technology Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2021. Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing type approval and Directorate General of Foreign Trade import-policy conditions apply as separate customs-clearance overlays.

What this is

HSN code

8518 30 20

Chapter

85 · Electrical machinery and equipment and parts thereof

BIS QCO

Applicable · Compulsory Registration Scheme · R-number required

Indian Standard

IS 62368 · effective 23-11-2021

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

WPCWPC·Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Compliance steps

1
Verify the foreign supplier's BIS Compulsory Registration Scheme R-number on the BIS portal against IS/IEC 62368 Part 1:2023 (or the concurrent IS 13252 Part 1:2010 or IS 616:2017 during the permitted running window). The R-number must be model-specific and current on the date of the bill of entry.
Electronics and Information Technology Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2021 · S.O. 1248(E) dated 18-03-2021 · S.O. 4997(E) dated 29-10-2025
2
Confirm whether the product incorporates any wireless functionality. Wired-only devices fall under HSN 8518 30 20; Bluetooth wireless headsets for phones are classifiable under HSN 8517 62. Import of any wireless-capable unit requires Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing type approval or Equipment Type Approval through the saralsanchar.gov.in portal.
CBIC Instruction 16/2022-CUS dated 21-07-2022 · CBIC Instruction 24/2024-CUS dated 22-10-2024 · CBIC Circular 36/2013-CUS dated 05-09-2013
3
Note the concurrent-running window for safety standards: IS 13252 Part 1:2010 and IS 616:2017 may run concurrently with IS/IEC 62368 Part 1:2023 until 01-11-2028 for goods other than those at serial 65 of the QCO schedule. After that date, IS 13252 Part 1:2010 and IS 616:2017 stand withdrawn. Source the supplier's R-number against the applicable standard.
S.O. 4997(E) dated 29-10-2025 · Electronics and Information Technology Goods (Requirements for Compulsory Registration) Order, 2021
4
Quote the BIS R-number on the bill of entry and ensure each imported unit bears the BIS standard mark under Scheme II of Schedule II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. Customs verifies the R-number in real time; an absent, expired, or model-mismatched registration triggers consignment detention.
Scheme II of Schedule II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018 · BIS Act, 2016 · Customs Act, 1962
5
Ensure compliance with DGFT Notification 13/24-25 dated 20-05-2024 in respect of paragraph 2.31(1)(b) of the Foreign Trade Policy 2023, paragraph 2(c) of the general notes to the import policy, and policy condition 5 of Chapter 85. Separately, verify compliance with paragraphs 1 to 4 of CBIC Instruction 27/2025-CUS dated 26-08-2025.
DGFT Notification 13/24-25 dated 20-05-2024 · CBIC Instruction 27/2025-CUS dated 26-08-2025 · General Note 2(c) of the ITC (HS) Import Policy

A word of counsel

The single most common error on this tariff line is classifying wired headphones here while also importing units with integrated Bluetooth or other wireless capability under the same bill of entry. CBIC Circular 36/2013-CUS explicitly places Bluetooth wireless headsets for phones under HSN 8517 62, which carries a distinct BIS CRS R-number requirement and a mandatory Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing Equipment Type Approval — neither of which a registration obtained for HSN 8518 30 20 covers. Mixed consignments declared uniformly under 8518 30 20 are detained at port pending reclassification, resulting in demurrage and fresh conformity assessment.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 8518 30 20 require BIS certification?

Yes. Wired headphones and earphones are required to conform to IS/IEC 62368 Part 1:2023 (or a concurrent IS 13252 Part 1:2010 or IS 616:2017 within the permitted window) under the Compulsory Registration Scheme with effect from 23 November 2021, and each model must hold a current BIS R-number.

Is Wireless Planning and Coordination Wing approval required for wired-only devices under this HSN?

Not for genuinely wired-only devices. WPC type approval or Equipment Type Approval through saralsanchar.gov.in is required only where the product incorporates wireless functionality; purely wired headphones and earphones under HSN 8518 30 20 do not attract WPC licensing.

Until when can suppliers certify against IS 13252 Part 1:2010 or IS 616:2017 instead of IS/IEC 62368 Part 1:2023?

For most goods under this QCO, IS 13252 Part 1:2010 and IS 616:2017 may run concurrently with IS/IEC 62368 Part 1:2023 until 01 November 2028, after which those earlier standards stand withdrawn. Goods at serial 65 of the QCO schedule have a shorter concurrent window ending 01 May 2026.

Does a single BIS R-number cover all headphone and earphone models from the same manufacturer?

No. The R-number is model-specific under the Compulsory Registration Scheme; each model variant must hold its own current registration, and customs detains consignments where the declared model code does not match the BIS register.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-18. Source: BIS / WPC / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.